BECKLEY - It's the same campus but with a new name.



The University of Charleston Beckley welcomed new students on Monday after the school took over the campus for Mountain State University.

"Very few people," said Senior Justin Keller. "Very small classes. I expect there to be four to five people on average in each class."

Mountain State University lost its accreditation in June. Its former students graduating this semester will get their degree from UC.

"It's not so much as we're taking Mountain State and trying to change that," said UC's VP of Marketing, Susan Backofen. "Mountain State is Mountain State. What we are focusing on is expanding the University of Charleston from our main campus."

Faculty and staff said they've working with approvals and handling transfer credits to prepare for the new year.
Although the school is still transitioning on its first day as the University of Charleston Beckley, students say they're just happy to still be there.

"I'm glad to be here," said freshman Thomas Cain. "I'm glad somebody took it up because if nobody took it up, I wouldn't be able to get to know other colleges, because I don't like other colleges. I just wanted one right here in my community."

Others around campus seemed to agree.

"It's good that the people of Beckley had a chance to finish our degrees in Beckley, so we appreciate the University of Charleston coming here for this semester," Keller told WOAY.

The university appreciates its students in return.

"We're very excited to have a presence in Beckley and continue to provide southern West Virginia with a higher education alternative," Backofen said.